Folding trunk rack



Nov, 24, 1931. (3, ssom 1,833,408

FOLDING TRUNK RACK Filed Sept. 26, 1927 Patented Nov. 24, 1931 UNITED STATES m w- :0mm f WESLEY c. CASSON, or water LYNN, MAssAonUsn'rrs, 'hssrenoa'ro GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGA1\T, A oonPoRA'rIoN OFYDELAWTARE Tarmac TRUNK RACK f application filed September 2e, 19a7; Serial No. 222,133.

1 This invention relates to motor vehicles and more particularly to a folding lu gage rack for the rear thereof.

The primary object of the invention is'to provide a novel and improved support on which a'trunk or other luggage of various 1 size and shape may be conveniently carried and which may be neatly and compactly collapsed and moved outfo'f the way when not in In the accompanying drawings whereinisshown a preferred embodiment of the invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of the carrier in'exte'nded position secured at the rear end of anautomobile chassis frame, the collapsed position of the parts being illustrated by dotted lines. Figures 2'and 3 are fragmentary top' plan and rear elevational views respectively, of the rack, showing the attachment connections therefor at one side only, it being understood that the same relation of parts occurs on ,both sides. Figure 4 is a section on line44 of Figure 1. Figure 5 :is a section on line 55 of Figure 1. Figure 6 is a section on line 66 of Figure 1. Fig- 'ure 7 is a section online 77 of Figured andFigure 8 is a section on line 8 8; of Figure 1. V I

Referringto the drawings; the reference character 1 indicatesthe rear'down turned horn of a chassis frame member, oneof which extends longitudinally on either side of the vehicle. To this frame member, the carrier forming the subject matter hereof is secured by meansof a pair of outwardly and rear wardly extending brackets 2, the upper and forward ends of which are fastened by rivets or bolts 3, to the top flange of the frame memher 1, while the lowerand rearward portions are secured to flat vertical faces at the rear end of the frame by bolts 4, passing outwardly therethrough, and having fastening nuts 5 screw threaded thereon. The load support ing platform located between the brackets on the two frame members, comprises a pair of sections 6 and 7, joined to each other by a hinge connection 8. The two hinge elements or ears caried by the respective'sections 6 and 7 are held together by a rivet 9, so arranged as to permit the hinge to work freely afteraction and also the riveting operation, and preferably provided with split spring washers 10, which offer slight frictional resistance to the hinge yieldingly hold the parts against rattle. l i l F on economy and convenience of manufacture, the hinged platform sections Band 7 may be stamped or otherwise formed from sheet metal, to provi' de'a seriesof transverse" and longitudinal cross bars, the edges ,of which are turned down, 'fornnngreinforclng flanges therefor. The platform has a fixed pivotal connection adjacent the, inner end of the innermost sectionfi, about which theplat form" may swing to either afsubstantially horizontal load supporting position or to a substantially vertical inoperative position. -When the platform ismoved to the' last men tioned position, the outer-section 7 swings downward about its hinge connection at' the. freeten'd of the section 6,,out ofalignment and into substantial parallelismnwith the section 6 which is thenvertically disposed. ThefiXed pivotaljconne'ction for'theiplatfo'rm is made with the upper and forward portionof the bracket 2, and comprises a bolt 11 extending inwardly through an enlarged head 12 of the bracket, andth'rough an aperture or opening'in the dependent marginal reinforcing 'flange13 of the-section 6. a The bolt ll carries a'spacer nut ltscrew threaded thereon, intermediate the head 12 and flange 13, and a second nut 15 threaded on "its end, for holding the parts in assembled relation, togetherwith suitable spring washers 16. V

In order to firmly brace the'ca-rrier in ex tended position, the swinging link or brace 'bar' l7 extends on eachsidethereof, and is pivotally connected with the section 7 adj a- "cent 'its outer end, from whence it projects *downwardly' below the platform, to a fixed I pivotal connection with "the vehicle. The 'freefend of'thelink] or rod 1 7 is attached to therdoviin-turned marginalflange 18 of the outer section 7 by a'stud'or bolt 19.- having anut 20 threaded thereon, and which is also provided with suitable spring washers 22.

The lower end I of the link 17 is interiorly 1 threaded for the reception of a stud or bolt i 24, passing through an ear or projection 23,

and spring washers 26 between the linkand on the lower and rearward portion of the bracket, which bolt carries a spacer nut the ear. As before'mentioned', the several spring :washers associated with: each pivotal connection, serve somewhat a-s antierattling means andalso offer acertain'amountof frictional resistance for holding the p arts in tlrei-radjusted positions; In its extendedpos V sition, the rackprovides a flat platformon which a trunk or other article ,ofiluggage may be placed, and the swinging'links bracing the rack from belowoifer no obstruction to the accommodation of baggage which may becof greater size; than theplatform, so as to extend beyond tli'evmargins thereof: I In order that such articles, regardless of-size, may be-tied: orqstrapped in 'posi-tiomusuitable loop brackets 27 are fastened-alongthe sides of the platform by rivets. or-bolts-28,

for theconvenient attachment o fihold down- .straps' x. r V a I p The arrangement of the severalpa'rts and ti he-relation of the pivots hasyibeen designed a {to permit aco operative actionvtherebetwe'en; a 'ThFatE is, whenlitherack is swung toleither foldedor opened pos'itions, the brace bar a 17' and section 6 move about their. fixed pivots,

while the section '7 pivoted to the free "ends of the'zbars. and section 6, has a relative movement about 5 its pivots either: into zhori zontal alignmentjwiththe section 6, or into reverse foldediposition, as the casermayabe.

It will be noted that as the parts approach the; collapsed position, the pivotconnection at thefree end o-fithe link passesL-dead center or beyond a line drawn'thr'ou gh the axes of the rearwardly located fixed;pivotv and I the hinge 8,: asiis clearly shown by the dottedoutline'in Figure '1, Obviously,. .therefore, whenthe -rack is collapsed therei-will be little or -no-tendency for; the; parts to=' acci- 'dentally distend 1 themselves and: returnto open position :under' influence of road shocks and the liket 7/ WVhile the device pendedfclaims.'-

folded position. H e V V c folding luggage rackfor-motor vehihas been deseribedin terms more or less: specific, it is to be understood the invention is 'not-limited to exact dej tails, but that such various modificationsmay be made as come within the scope of the aptions for the sections and pivotal connections,

for the brace bar and to pass beyond dead center when the rack is swung to folded position to hold the rack in such folded position. 7

2. A folding luggage rack for motor vehicles and the like, including a pair of hinged luggage supporting sections, adapted to be folded one on the other,fthe inner section having a fixed pivotal connection with the veliicle and a lin'kalso having a fixed pivotal connection with the vehicle to -the rear and below'the firstmentioned pivotal connection, and'b'eing'further pivotally connected to the outer luggage supporting section'for bracing said "sections'i'n extended position, said last mentioned pivotalconnection being adapted to, pass dead centerwith respect-to the hinge,

between said sections and theafi'xed pivot-of the link, when said sections are swung, about their, fixed pivot to folded position, whereby the linkserves to holdgsaid sections in such cles. and the likev including rearwardly, and

extending. downwardly and having, pivotal connection with-said brackets below and to the rear of the pivotal connection between the bracket connections andila-xis-of thejoint con :necting said sections, when saidsectionsare folded, said links thereby serving both'to hold said-sections in folded positionan'dto brace: saidsections, in extended alignment;

In-testimony.whereof. I aflirx my signature.

:YWESILEYOQPGASSON;

Havingi described my invention :I cl'airn i -1; A folding luggage ra'ck for 'motor vehicles and the like i'ncludingra sectiOna'llu-g- '1 gage carrying; vplatform, hinge connections between: therp-latfornr"sections -one ofthe sections having fixed pivotal connection with the 1 vehicle 1 for-j swinging movement there- 2 about, a swinging brace bar-having fixed pivs' otal connection with,- the' vehicle and pivotally 'connected-atwits' free .end;with;the;.outer j sectiono-fzthe:platfornr, s'aidlast mentioned pivotalacormection' being adapted to :assu me a position intermediate; :the l hinge: i'connec bracket'iandfirst mentioned luggage support- 7 ing section, the pivotal axis of a the luggage I supporting sectionand :link connections thereto being movable: past at line extending betweenithe pi-votal axis of the link and 

